Bread slicer



June 15 1926.

J. wHlTlNG BREAD SLICER Filed May 20, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENToR.

` f// 'A TToRNEy.

Patented June l5, 1926.

UNITED STATES i JASPER-WRITING; OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

PATENT OFFICE.

BREAD SLICER.

Application tiled lay 20, 1925. Serial No. 31,678.

be so constructed that it can be manufac-y tured economically In myPatent o. 1,452,474, dated April 17, 1923, I have shown and described anovel form of bread slicing device, and it is one of the objects of thepresent invention to further improve vand perfect the device shown insaid patent with a view to reducing the expense of manufacture, makingthe device more convenient-to use, and facilitating the packing of thedevices for shipment.

The nature of the invention will be readily understood from thefollowing description when read inA connection with the accompanyingdrawings, and the novel features will be-particu arly pointed out in theappended claims.

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is a` perspective view of a bread slicer embodying theinvention in the form at resent preferred;

ig. 2 is afront elevation of the metal parts of the device shown in Fig.1;

' Fig. 3 is 'a side elevation of the bread slicer knocked down and readyto be packed lfor shipment; and Y Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view showingthe' adjustability of the gage or stop that determines the thickness ofthe slices.

The device shown comprises a base 2 which is adapted to support a loafof bread and preferably consists of a wooden board provided with amarginal groove 3 to receive the crumbs. Supported on the base 2 are twoupright standards l4---4 connected at their lower ends 'by a metal plate5 which is integral with the standards. This plate lits ina horizontalslot jthat projects backwardy from the.forward'..or right-hand` end,Fig'. u 1, 'f the base.. j 1 f standards are spaced-a' artby 'adstancesuitable'to receive a loa of bread B betweeny them.r The'fupper en ds ofthe standards4-l4'ar'e secured to 'ether'by 'a rod having' nuts 7*-7threaded on (o posite lends thereof and serv' to hold te" standardsagainst 'the .opposite ends lfla tube which .spaces theupp'er. ends ofstandldsnd,

together with the rod, gives stiffness and rigidity to the structure.

The position of the end of the loaf of bread between the standards isgaged by a bar or stop which preferably is of polygonal cross-section.As shown, this bar vis square in cross-section, and it is mountedbetween two ears 12-12 which are integral w1th the plate 5 and standards4-4. This bar'is supported on a pivot rod 14 which projects throughholes in the ears 12-12, the rod having a head 15 at one end and a thumbnut 16` threaded onits oppositeI end. By turning up the nut 16 the baror stop 10 mag be held in its operative position with su cient frictionto permit it to be adjusted about the rod. 14 while still holding itagainst accidental displacement.

The knife used in slicing the loaf B is guided by the forward edge 17-17of the standards 4 4 and consequently, the thickness of the slices madewill depend upon the distance that the end of the loaf projectsl beyondthese edges. vThis distance is determined by the gage or bar 10. Duey tothe fact that this bar is eccentrically mounted, the thickness vof theslices cut will depend upon the angular position of the bar. The foursides of the bar are marked with thickness designations, namely, Thick,Medium, Thin, and Wafer, and by turning the bar so that the properdesignavWord Thin. When turned jstl-l further intothe osition .10," a,vthick slice willl befcut, and in' 1t e'fpositionlO" 'a slice of mediumthickness will'be formed..l TheY bar 1,0 could be made. rounderelliptical ifdesi'red.

It should be noted 4that the edges-17447 are 'not 'at right anglestojthebase2 4but'are 'inclined backwardly. In other words, these .edges.slof` 'backwardly ,from points adjato e baseupf'tepoints mdicatedat ltion is uppermost, 'the gage is then set for 18-18, Fig. 1, which are aproximately level with the top'of the loa B. I have found that thisarrangement is 'of decided advantage in causing the knife to follow theguiding edges 17-17.- That is, the n atural tendency is to hold theknife blade 1n approximately a vertical Eps/ition during the slicingoperation, and tg's tendency, therefore, causes the edge of the knife tofollow the inclined guiding edges 17-17. Most people find it difiicultto slice bread vertically, there being a tendency for the knife to slantslightly either forward or backward. If the guiding edges were arrangedvertically a tendency to slant the knife forward would carry it awayfrom the guides, but with these edges inclined backwardly, as shown, theknife edge naturally follows the guides notwithstandino` a considerabletendency for the hand to slant the knife in one direction or the other.

The proper guidin of the knife is further facilitated by 'directing theforward edges of the guides upwardly toward a perpendicular positionfrom the points l8-18, as indicated at 19--19. Preferably the latteredges of the guides terminate in notches or stops 20--20. In startingthe slicing operation the knife is placed against the edges 19-19 and ismoved backward and forward in the usual manner, and these edges guidethe knife against the inclined e'd es 17--17 as the knife is moveddownwar ly at the beginning of the slicing operation. When the cuthasbeen started in this manner, the

knife thereafter tends to follow the edgesv When a slicehas been severedit drops over the stop or gage 10, theknife is removed, the loaf B ismoved forward until it strikes the stop again, and the cuttin operationis then repeated. The stan ards protect the hands from contact with theknife during the slicing operation.

It will now be appreciated that the invention provides a very simpleconstruction which can be manufactured very economically, an'd isconvenient to use, the ease with which different thicknesses of slicescan be cut being an important practical advantage.

In manufacturing the device the standards 4 and plate 5 are died out ofa flat strip of sheet metal and the part so cut out is then,

bent up into the U-shape shown. This bending operation leaves the plate5 slightly bowed or bent, as shown in Fig. 2, so that when this plate isinserted in the slot 6 it will bind Somewhat in the slot and thus holdthe standards firmly in position. l

In packing the articles for shipment the U-shaped sheet metal memberpreferably is placed on the base 2, as shown in Fig. 3, with the bars 10and 8 resting on one side of the base, and the plate 5 against the end0f LM bilSG This permits 1511.6 Pking Of a relatively lar e number ofthese articles in a comparative y small space.

WhileI have herein shown and described the best embodiment of myinvention that I have so far devisedit willrbe evident that thisembodimentmay bemodiied in manyl particulars without departing from thespirit or scope of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I desire to claim as new is:

1. A bread slicer comprising a base, a pair of standards supported bysaid base and spaced apart to receive a loaf of bread between them, saidstandards having knife guiding edges inclined with referenceto the ase.

2. A bread Slicer com rising a base, a pair of standards supporte bysaid base and spaced apart to receive a loaf of bread -between them, theforward edges of said standards forming guides for a knife used inslicing said loaf, said edges vbeing inclined backwardly, and means forgaging the position of the end of said loaf.

3. A bread slicer comprising a base, a pair of standards supported bysaid base and spaced apart to receive a loaf of bread between them, theforward edges of said standards forming uides for the' knife used inslicing said loa and said edges beinginclined backwardly from pointsnear the base to points near the upper ends of the stands and thenextending upwardly from the latter points at an angle to said edges.

4. A bread slicer comprising a base, a pair o f standards supported bysaid base and spaced apart to receive a loaf of bread between them, theforward edges of said standards forming guides for a knife used inslicing said loaf, said edges being inclined backwardly, and the upperportions of said edges being sloped forward with reference to saidinclined edges whereby they guide the'knife against said inclined edgesat the beginning of the slicing operation, and means for gagin theposition of the end of said loaf relatively to said edges.

5. A bread slicer comprising a base, a pair of standards supported bysaid base and spaced apart to'receive a loaf of bread between them, saidstandards havin edges to guide the knife used in slicing said loaf, astop comprising a bar positioned to engage the end of the loaf and gageits position relatively t0 said edges, and mea-ns eccentricallysupporting the bar for adjustment to vary the spacing between the facethereof engaged by the loaf and the knife guiding edges o saidstandards. v

6. A bread slicer comprising a U-shaped sheet metal member including twostandards spaced apart to receive a loaf of bread between them, a baseslotted `to receive a part of said member and thereby to support saidstandards in upright positions,

said standards having knife guiding edges, and a stop supported by saldmember in front of said standards to engage the end of said loaf andlimit its movement forwardly between said standards.

7. A bread slicer comprising a board forming a base, a U-shaped sheetmetal member including upright standards connected by a plate, saidabasehaving a horizontal slot therein extending backwardly from the forwardend thereof, said plate being adapted to fit in said slot but being bentto bind in the slot, whereby it supports said standards in uprightpositions at opposite sides of said base, said standards having edges toguide a knife used in slicing said loaf, and a stop for engaging the endof said loaf and limiting the distance to which it ca be moved forwardbetween said standar s.

8. A bread slicer comprising a board forming a base, a U-shaped sheetmetal member including upright standards connected by a plate, said basehaving a horizontal slot therein extending backwardly from the forwardend thereof, said plate being adapted to fit in said slot but being bentto bind in the slot, whereby it supports said standards in uprightpositions at opposite sides of said base, said standards having edges toguide a knife used in slicing said loaf, a

bar located in front of said standards andy forming a stop for the endof said loaf, ears rigid with said plate, and a pivot rod mounted insaid ears and supporting said bar eccentrically for adjustment aboutsaid rod.

9. A bread slicer comprising two standards spaced apart to receive aloaf of bread between them, a member connecting the lower portions ofsaid standards, and a base slotted to receive said member and supportsaid standards in their operative positions, said standards having edgesto guide a knife used in slicing said loaf.

JASPER WHITING. f

